Car-brake



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. G. COLLINS.

GAR BRAKE (No Model.)

Patented May 14, 1889.

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G. COLLINS. GAR BRAKE No. 403,090. Patented May 14, 1389.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE COLLINS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,090, dated May 14, 1889.

Application filed October 29, 1888. Serial No. 289,379. '(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE COLLINS, a citizen 0f the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Brakes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in car-brakes; and the invention consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of the brake mechanism whereby increased braking-power is obtained, as is more fully described hereinafter, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which.

Figure 1 is a plan showing my improved brake mechanism applied to a street-car. Fig. 2 is a vertical central longitudinal section thereof, in the plane in front of the brakewheels. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical central longitudinal section through the brake-wheels and brake. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view, showing the manner of supporting the brakebeam upon the car-axles.

A and A represent the front and rear axles, respectively, which revolve with the wheels B.

O are brake-wheels, secured in line with each other upon the front and rear axles, respectively, and these are preferably made, as usual, in halves for the purpose of readily and firmly securing them upon the axles.

D is a brake-beam extending underneath the brake-wheels from front to rear. This brake-beam is preferably constructed with the central portion of wood and with the extremities of iron, suitably bolted or. otherwise secured thereto, and with the central portion preferably in a higher plane than the end portions. This brake-beam is supported by means of hangers E from the axles, preferably by the use of wooden boxes F, fitting on top of the axles and suitably grooved upon their sides to engage with the upper ends of the hangers, there being two such hangers for each axle, one on each side of the brake-wheel. The

lower ends of these hangers are secured to the ends of the brake-beam in any suitable manner, preferably by providing the brakebeam with lateral offsets G, to which the lower ends of the hangers are detachably secured by the screws H.

I is a brake-shoe supported on top of the L is a brake-strap encircling the upper side of the brake-wheel, and secured at one end adjustably by means of screw-nuts M or in any suitable manner to the inner end of the brake-beam, and with its other end to the power-levers N, preferably by forming a bifurcated eye, 0, on the free end of the strap, and detachably secured to the lever by the bolt P, which passes through the said eye of the lever. This lever N is of second degree, and is fulcrumed in vertical position upon the brake-beam, preferably by securing it pivotally between a pair of cars, Q, projecting upwardly from the brake-beam.

R is a brake-lever pivotally secured at S to the brake-beam, preferably re-enforced by a strap, T, between which and the brake-bea the lever is movably confined.

U and V are the brake-rods, secured at one end upon opposite sides of the fulcrum of the brake-lever, and at their other ends secured in any suitable manner to the free ends of the power-lever N. These brake-rods are preferably curved or bent to operate the levers N in a longitudinal direction.

W is a retracting-spring to hold and return the brake-beam to its normal position with the brakes off.

The brake-strap L is preferably made of iron or steel lined with a copper strip, Y, and a similar lining may be applied to the brakeshoe 1, or in such manner as to permit the easy removal or replacing of the same when worn out.

In practice the brake-lever is actuated in the usual manner by a suitable connection with one or both of the brake-staffs, as may be desired, and as is required to let the brakes on or off. Then from the brake-lever the power is communicated through the brakerods to power-levers N, and these effect the simultaneous application of both the brakestrap and the brake-shoe on each of the brakewheels, as the movement of the lever N obviously will approach both the brake-shoe and the brake-strap against the face of the brakewheel, and both will, therefore, press with the same amount of force against the side of the brake-wheel, and thereby prevent an unequal application of the power, which in ordinary brake devices often crowds the axle in one direction and produces a heavy strain upon the truck. As the movements of the brakestrap and the brake-shoe are dependent upon each other, they will be applied to the brakewheels always with the same amount of force and released in the same manner, and if any inequality should exist in the relative positions of the brake-wheel and the brake-shoe it is obvious that they are free to adjust themselves to conform in every instance to the face of the wheel when the power is applied, and thus if the brake-wheel should wear uneven it will not affect the perfect operation of the device.

Another advantage of supporting the brakeshoe slidingly, in the manner described, is that it may be easily removed from the brakebeam, if desired, for the purpose of repair, and the strap is also readily adjusted or removed, when needed.

The manner of supporting my brake-beam will prevent any vibrations being communicated to the car, which are liable to jar the nerves of the passengers and to produce an unpleasant sensation, as is the case with many brakes in present use, as it will'be seen that when the brakes are set the brake-beam is supported by the brake-Wheels, as the hangers will rise slightly in a vertical direction.

By constructing the brake-beam in three parts, as shown, the whole brake is easily applied to the cars, and the whole device may be constructed to apply to the cars of different sizes by merely varying the length of the central portion of the brake-beam.

My device may be applied to any portion of the axles, and where it is not advisable to secure to the axles an extended hub may be formed on the wheels and the brake secured upon the said hubs. This construction will also be necessary where the wheels are revolving loosely on the axle. By securing the device, in the manner shown in the drawings, to one side of the center of the car, in close proximity to one pair of wheels, less jarring will be produced than in any other way; and this construction is especially applicable to such cars as are only braked from one end of the car, permitting at the same time a very long arm for increasing the power in braking.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is- 1. Thecombination, with a pair of brakewheels secured upon the front and rear axles, respectively, of a brake-beam risingly and fallingly supported below such brake wheels, brake-shoes supported upon the ends of the brake-beams below the brake-wheels, brakenear the ends of the brake-beams and having the free ends of the brake-strap secured thereto, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a car-break, of the brake-wheels secured to the front and rear axles, respectively, a brake-beam risingly and fallingly supported by means of h. ngers from the axles of the car, brake-shoes slidingly supported upon the ends of the brake-beams below the brake-wheels, brake-straps encircling the upper face of the brake-wheels and having one end secured to the ends of the brake-beams, and levers N, operated by the brake mechanism, pivotally secured near the ends of the brake-beams and having the other end of the brake-strap secured thereto, substantially as described.

3. In a car-brake, the combination, with the front and rear axles having brake-wheels secured thereon, of a brake-beam risingly and fallingly supported below such brake-wheels and carrying brake-shoes slidingly secured thereon, and the brake mechanism for vertically operating such brake-beam, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the front and rear axles of a car having brake-wheels secured thereon, of a brake-beam loosely supported from the axles below the brake-wheels and provided with brake-shoes on the under side of the brake-wheels, a brake-strap encircling the upper face of the brake-wheels, and secured at one end to the outer end of the brakebeam and its other end to the power-lever, pivotally secured to the brake-beam and actuated by the brake mechanism, substantially as described.

5. In a car-brake, the combination of the brake-beam with the hangers E loosely supporting such brake-beam from the axles, the brake-shoes I, slidingly supported upon the ends of the brake-beam, and the levers N, pivotally secured to the ends of the brake-beam and operated by the braking mechanism to the straps L, encircling the upper face of the brake-wheels and adjustably secured to the outer ends of the brake-beam, and provided at the inner ends with eyes pivotallysecured to the levers N, substantially as described.

6. In a car-brake, the con1bination,with the front and rear axles having the brake-wheels O secu red thereon, the brake-beam D, extending below the brake-wheels and constructed in two parts, with the central part above the plane of the outer ends, the brake-shoe I, slidingly supported upon the outer ends of the brake-beams by means of pins J and slots K, the hangers E, loosely supporting the brakebeam from the axles, the bearings F, upon which said hangers engage, the levers N, pivotally secured near the ends of the brakebeams, the straps L, secured at one end to the outer ends of the brake-beams and pivotally presence of two witnesses, this 11th day of connect-ed at their inner ends 130 the levers N, October, 1888. the brake-lever R, pivotally secured to the brake-beam, and the brake-rods U and V, con- GEORGE COLLINS 5 necting the brake-levers with the levers N, Witnesses:

substantially as described. JAMES WHITTEMORE,

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature, in JOHN SOHUMAN. 

